GERMANS PREFER GANDALF TO GOD

The Bible has been edged out by Tolkien followed closely by Ken Follett in a survey of Germans:

HAMBURG - J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" is the favourite work of literature among Germans, beating out the Holy Bible in second place, according to a national survey.

The survey by ZDF television of a quarter of a million viewers nationwide showed the Tolkien novels topped the list by an overwhelming majority.

In second place as the finest published work of all time was the Bible, followed in third place by Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth".

A German work of fiction ranked fourth, Patrick Suskind's "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer".

Ken Follett? At least The Lord of the Rings is a classic.